The safety of appearing at the day of judgement, in the righteousness of Christ

1. The people of God are sanctified in a way of believing on the righteousness of Christ: they that do believe in Christ are sanctified; they do lead an holy life, dying unto sin, and living unto righteousness: ⟨p. 129⟩they are delivered from the servitude unto sin, and do become servants of God: indeed this cannot be made evident by experience to the world, because the world cannot certainly know, that those that profess faith in Christ, have it in reality; nor that those that seem to live an holy life, do so indeed; yet there is that which falls under the observation of the world, that may considerably help forward their satisfaction in this particular.

1. Among those that do profess to believe in Christ, there are many that live in such a manner, that there is not evidence that they are not sanctified; 'tis not so with all those that profess to believe in Christ, there are many that make such a profession, that have no faith: and therefore it is no wonder if they be not sanctified: but there be many, in whose lives there is no evidence that they are destitute of holiness: no man can justly charge them with living in any known sin: with any unmortified corruption, or acting from a corrupt principle in religion: but this cannot be said concerning others that do not make this profession, moral men among the Heathens, Turks or Jews; there are few or none of them, but would make it evident to a man of a discerning spirit, that was familiarly acquainted with them, that they were under the, rule and power of some lust, 2. Among those that profess to believe in Christ there are many men in whom there are very speaking evidences that they lead an holy life: they do not only walk inoffensively in their conversation, but there is a great deal of the breathings of a spirit of holiness in them; their carriage savours of ⟨p. 130⟩the fear of God, love to God, submission to the will of God, care of the advancement of the glory of God: there carriage has a great relish of piety and holiness: there is as much appearance of holiness as can ordinarily be expected from men that have still a principle of corruption remaining in them. 3. Many of those who has formerly lived a corrupt life, when once they are in appearance brought home to Christ, do give great evidences of an holy life, many that live among the people of God: do live very corruptly, but when once such men come to embrace the Gospel in appearance, many of them do become very exemplary in holiness, cast off all their former ways of sin, and live an humble, spiritual, obedient life as far as man can judge: